the new Nokia 3310 recommended for privacy and security?

Question

the new Nokia 3310 (A modern classic reimagined) is very cheap. Do yo recommend it for privacy and security (second phone)?

Network and connectivity Network speed 2G Networks GSM 900/1800 MHz

Performance Operating system Nokia Series 30+

Connectivity Connectivity Micro USB (USB 2.0), Bluetooth 3.0 with SLAM

is this in regards of privacy and security an alternative to iPhone?

I know there is no anonymous SIM card. But other than that there is not much Apps (and other Smartphone features) that can track you. What could possibly spy on the users?

Answer 1

I don't know much about the Nokia. But I do know mobile networks and 2G is no way near as 'secure' as the later networks. Mainly due to a lack of suitable authentication at various stages of the communications channel.

If you are solely concerned with the phone OS, then I would argue possibly as it 'may' have a lower attack surface than the iOS due to lower functionality, but the iOS has a lot more attention from the community and may allow vulnerabilities to be easier to discover? But it's worth considering the pro and cons

Answer 2

You can't lock the screen. Everybody with physical access can read your text messages and call log. For me this phone is a NO-GO.

From What does the Nokia 3310 relaunch mean for privacy and security?

The 3310’s actual security features, however, are quite basic:

• Keypad lock

  This is the equivalent of the lock screen on your contemporary smartphone. However, the phone is locked and unlocked by just pressing the menu button and *, which makes locking much less of a security feature and more of a way to prevent you from pocket-dialing contacts.

• Security code

  This is a code that the phone asks for when you insert a new SIM card into it. The idea is to have some method of authentication, so other people wouldn’t be able just to plug a SIM into your stolen phone and access your messages and call logs. The phones come with the code preset as 12345, but users are allowed – and advised – to change it to another one.

• PIN code

  The PIN’s security function on this phone was limited to securing the SIM card. The device requests it each time it is switched on – which, given its notoriously long battery life, is not supposed to be that often. Entering a wrong PIN three times locks the SIM. Undoing this is done via the PUK code which is supplied by the user’s network carrier.

• Changing codes

  Another cutting edge feature – you can choose your own security code, PIN, PIN2 and barring password. This way you are not stuck with the default ones like 0000 or 1111. However, as you can guess, being able to use just the numbers from 0 to 9 and having just four digits, limits your possibilities to 10,000 combinations.